The invention relates to vehicular passenger utility assemblies. More particularly, the invention relates to air and reading light assemblies of the type provided for passengers on board aircraft, trains and the like.
It has long been known to provide air outlets and adjustable reading lights for vehicular passenger comfort and convenience. U.S. Pat. No. Design 213,144 to Kraus et al (1969), entitled Utilities Module For Aircraft Cabin Interior, discloses an airplane utility module presumably including air outlets and reading lamps. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. Design 244,442 to Greiss et al (1977), entitled Combined Wall and Ceiling for Aircraft, likewise illustrates what are believed to be air and light assemblies as they are typically oriented along the walls or ceilings of an aircraft.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,974,580 (Zimmerman et al 1961), 3,113,502 (Kallel et al 1963), 2,516,805 (Rother et al 1950), and 4,142,227 (Aikens 1979) all disclose passenger air ventilation units such as are typically found onboard aircraft. Aikens (U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,227) in particular discloses a combination unit including both passenger reading light and air ventilation functions. Thus, air outlets and reading light assemblies have long been provided in vehicular passenger compartments, such as in aircraft cabins.
It is also known to make passenger reading lights and utilities adjustable to provide convenient passenger use thereof. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,370,813 to Albertine et al (1968) entitled Adjustable Passenger Reading Lights and Utilities, which discloses a utilities panel which folds down to provide enhanced passenger access.
As may be seen from all of the above discussed patent references, air outlet and reading light assemblies of the type commonly found in passenger compartments such as in aircraft cabins, typically either protrude from the otherwise contiguous surface of the cabin walls or ceilings or are recessed therefrom leaving a cut-away space which likewise disrupts the smooth configuration of the cabin wall or ceiling.
Although it has long been known to provide retractable headlight systems for automobiles (See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,119,892, 2,999,150, 3,310,669, 2,312,005, 4,246,628, and 4,380,789) it has not heretofore been known to provide retractable air and light utility units within the passenger compartments of vehicles. It has likewise not heretofore been known to provide retractable air and light units within the passenger compartment of an aircraft, whereby the utility unit may be concealed or hidden from view when it is not in use while simultaneously leaving behind a contiguous and smooth surface about the interior wall or ceiling of an aircraft cabin which would otherwise be disrupted.
As is well known in the aircraft interior design field, space and weight requirements are paramount concerns. Therefore, designers who seek to advance the state of the aircraft interior design art are often unable to apply conventional techniques to provide desirable luxuries for aircraft passengers.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an assembly for orienting air outlets or reading light units in either an exposed orientation or a hidden orientation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a switch actuated assembly for automatically disposing passenger compartment air and light utility units in either an exposed or a hidden configuration.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an assembly for exposing and hiding air and light utility units which will fit within a narrow contour and satisfy rigid aircraft space and weight requirements.